IT’S REGISTRATION TIME

BEFORE WE CAN EXERCISE FREEDOM

Filipinos need to exercise their feet and prepare their physical strength and endurance before they can exercise their freedom.

Wow! What a whooping requisite, before I can cast my first vote.

I am discouraged of what I saw from T.V. and was already decided to give up my right to vote. I certainly don’t want to become part of the disgusted crowd or worst to participate with the anticipated and possible stampede. Until my big sister discussed to me her nationalistic views with a tint of spiritual ideas, then and there I was moved.

Since it is registration time, we already anticipated the long wait before our turn, harsh words, hunger, foul smell and sweating bodies fried under the scorching heat of the sun. As expected, I experience them all but enjoyed most the course of running. This has caused me to bargain my whole day class in exchange for this extended registration day.

As early as 2 AM, my 2 sisters and I ready ourselves and hurriedly rushed at the registration center. Surprisingly, we topped them all. Considering all the people in all Davao Districts who wanted to be registered, it is we who felt like three lucky winners for getting the first 3 slots. What a fortune.

But before we can enter at the Magsaysay Park, we amused ourselves talking and laughing while we sit with a shivering body waiting for the gates, which I jokingly called as “barricades”, to open.

As we enter, I was shocked that this registration center has only a SINGLE machine. What? No question why the flow of registration is that slow. And then, we are aiming for a hastely smooth flow of registration? Think twice. That can be above to the utopian assumption. With this kind of system, it’s definitely not possible. How can this government can be so mean to us? Can they stand, watching people fainting? OMG!

At first, I can’t stand the arrogance I felt from the comelec people. I don’t like their INCONSISTENCIES. I really want to hire MAAM DIVINE TO EDUCATE THIS PEOPLE about MANAGEMENT and GOOD MANNERS! I wonder if are they stepping on their brains? I don’t like the way they bang the door and shouts at people. OMG!, it’s very degrading. People are supposedly to be treated as people and not as dogs.

After 7 hours waiting and writing two complete articles, I felt like all hope is gone. But WHEN ALL HOPE IS GONE, AN ANGEL COMES ALONG. A comelec woman accommodated us nicely and immediately processed our papers. That marks the end of our waiting.

This joyful experience makes me smile. What can I do but smile. I giggle as I reminisced the people which we befriended and the hot debated topics we have tackled. I love that comelec woman. The three of us give our BEST SMILE as the photographer click the button. We make fun out of the unfunny things. That’s the secret! Go endure then s-m-i-l-e-!

With truckloads of people still coming one after another, I conclude that this country needs to push for Poll Automation. With a high spirit, I am challenging newly elected public officials to bravely put an iron fist in chartering and pushing for laws that may address this problem. Public service is their job, isn’t it?